Bats from Santo Antônio dos Ipês Farm, Jaú, São Paulo State, Brazil

Abstract

This study recorded the bat species that occur on Santo Antônio dos Ipês Farm, in Jaú, SP, Brazil, studied the food items the bats consumed and analyzed bats for the rabies virus. Sampling was performed using mist nets, on twenty-one nights in five areas on the farm, between November 2009 and July 2011. After a capture effort of 18,217.5 m2.h, 580 bats and 16 species were netted. Sturnira lilium (n = 184 captures), Artibeus lituratus (n = 134) and Carollia perspicillata (n = 126) were the most abundant species. In addition, two individuals of Lasiurus ega were observed in their shelter, resulting in 17 sampled species. The most consumed food items were fruits of Solanaceae and Piperaceae and fruits of Muntingia calabura were less consumed. None of the 132 bats analyzed for rabies was positive. Santo Antônio dos Ipês Farm is an important area because it contains Reserva Ecológica Amadeu Botelho (a conservation unit), a unique remnant of semideciduous seasonal forest in the Jaú region that serves as refuge for wild animals, including bats.

Keywords

• Diet
• Fruit-eating bats
• Rabies
• Semideciduous Seasonal Forest